Mass Exodus: Thousands Flee Lebanon to Syria Amid Conflict

Over 30,000 people, mostly Syrians, have fled from Lebanon to Syria in the last 72 hours due to escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah. The majority of the refugees are Syrians, with a significant number being women and children. This migration poses a difficult choice between two crisis-hit nations.

BERLIN, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Well over 30,000 people, mainly Syrians, have crossed into Syria from Lebanon in the past 72 hours, the UN refugee agency reported on Friday. The exodus is a direct response to the escalating conflict between Israeli forces and Hezbollah, which has led to hundreds of deaths in Lebanon.

The UNHCR representative in Syria, Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, noted that approximately 80% of the crossings are made up of Syrians, while 20% are Lebanese. Alarmingly, nearly half of those fleeing are children and adolescents, with women outnumbering men in making this perilous journey.

"They are crossing from a country at war to one that has faced a crisis conflict for 13 years," Llosa said during a news conference, underscoring the harrowing choices that these individuals face. "We will have to see over the next few days how many more do so," he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)